Spring is crawling over me

    It's been a busy couple of days since I wrote the last post.  I received an e-mail, forwarded by the local bike club, from a rider who would be in town looking for a rider to show them around.  Since the club doesn't start their organized rides until daylight savings time begins, he was looking for somebody to show him the lay of the land crank off 20 or 30 miles with him.   I had Thursday open so I volunteered.
    Although the temperature was cooler than predicted, it was dry and pleasant to ride.  John makes his living as a sportswriter covering the Bears in Chicago and was great company on the ride.  An experienced recreational rider, he had just switched from a Waterford made Schwinn to a very interesting Cannondale CF Cyclecross model.  I thought it was interesting, because it was the first carbon fiber bike I had seen with  proper clearance and wheelbase for larger tires fenders and accessories.   He was just as interested in the Hunq and it's age.

He was surprised to find out that it was a new bike, but seemed pleased to find out that Waterford had assembled it.
      Riding the Hunq with somebody on an 18#  cf bike was a bit of an experience as you would guess.  The frame itself, the accessories and 38 mm tires dragged me down on the uphills where he dropped me, but I reeled him right in with no effort on the downhills.  It was a pleasant day all the way around and he was impressed with the proliferation of bike lanes throughout the town.  I was especially pleased with the comfort of the Hunq.  It was the first 25 mile ride I had done in several  months and I was pleased to wake up the next day without any aches or pains in the upper body.   That wouldn't have been the case if I had ridden my road bike.  My conclusion; "riding the Hunqapillar is like riding a Beautyrest mattress, no morning backache" (is that their tagline? Oh well it's somebody's).
     The important part of the day was voicemail from the LBS to tell me the parts I had been waiting for were delivered.  My diabolical scheme was coming together: I broke the Nexus 8 hub, the weather thawed, I no longer need studded tires,  the parts were delivered and now I could get Byron on the road!
     Time after work yesterday was not spent blogging, but getting parts on the new mixte.  First I wanted to use a little rustproofing on the frame.  I don't really feel it's necessary, but it's not a bad thing to do as a precaution.  I use LBS-3

which is an industrial strength rust inhibitor I get at a local hardware store.  It is only about $13 a can and will cover two frames easily.   I got lucky this time, the can was marked "50th anniversary commemorative edition"--Oh, boy!  I just spray it into all the little holes and openings I can find after covering the floor with plastic (it will ooze out of all the little holes as it hardens).   No, I don't know how much it weighs.

The rest of the evening was spent hanging brakes, cables, installing the cog and getting things ready for "pre test ride" adjustment in the morning.
    While I do prefer a lugged steel frame, I am not a complete retro grouch.  I really like the simple unity of  a nicely welded frame.  The Soma frame has a beautiful finish and the welds are filed down and barely perceptible.

I can hardly wait to get it on the road tomorrow.